VIETNAM AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA
ONLY COIN OF
TONKIN
Tonkin
was a French protectorate, that later
became part of North Vietnam. Tonkin issued only a single
coin, a zinc 1/600 Piastre, (1/6 cent) dated 1905.
The coin, commonly called a Sapeque, was intended to replace the widely
used Annamese cash coins in circulation. It was struck in the
style of a cash coin: round with a square hole. One side of
the coin had Chinese legends, the other had French legends.
The coin proved to be unpopular with the Vietnamese and most never
entered circulation. The coin is Uncirculated, however it will have
some spots as is typical of zinc coins.
Item
TONKIN TONKIN 1/600 PIASTRE 1905,
KM1
UNC.-spots $29.75
SCARCE VIET-MINH
COINS
As World War II drew to a close, Japanese, Chinese, French and
Vietnamese forces all battled for control of Vietnam. These
coins were
issued by the Viet-Minh under Ho Chih Minh in 1946. The coins
circulated only briefly before being withdrawn in 1948. The large
(33mm) aluminum 1 Dong features a portrait of Ho Chih Minh on the
obverse. A rice stalk tied with a ribbon and the denomination is on the
reverse. The aluminum 5 Hao coin shows a ceremonial urn on one side and
the denomination incused in a five-pointed star on the other. Because
the coins were struck under primitive conditions using scrap metal and
makeshift equipment the coins tends to be crudely struck with weak
areas in
the design and minor spots or corrosion.
Item
VN-5H-46 VIETNAM - VIET-MINH 5 HAO 1946
KM2.1 VG-F-crude out
Item
VN-1D-46 VIETNAM - VIET-MINH 1 DONG
1946 KM3
F-VF-cleaned
$19.75
SOUTH
VIETNAM 1968 20 DONG FAO COIN
In 1968 South Vietnam issued this
unusual 12-sided coin as part of the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization's (FAO) coin program. One side
depicts a female farmer with a sheaf of rice in a rice paddy.
The legend "CHIEN-DICH THE-GIOI CHONG NAN DOI" translates as "World
campaign against hunger". The other side features the
denomination. It was the highest denomination
released into circulatoin by South Vietnam before it fell to the
communists in
1975. The nickel-clad steel coin was struck at the Hamburg
mint and has a mintage of 500,000 pieces. It is an attractive
coin from a fallen nation.
Item
SVN-20D SOUTH VIETNAM 20 DONG FAO 1968 KM11 BU
$7.00
FIRST
COIN OF SOCIALIST VIETNAM
North and South Vietnam were
formally unified on July 2, 1976 to form the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam. This aluminum 1976 1 Hao coin was one of the first
coins issued by the unified government. One side features the emblem of
Socialist Vietnam, the other has the denomination and date.
The coin was struck only a single year.
Item
VN-1H SOCIALIST VIETNAM 1 HAO 1976 KM11 AU-UNC. $5.00
ATTRACTIVE
SOCIALIST VIETNAM
BANKNOTES
Reduced
size images - click on image to enlarge
This two note set from Socialist Vietnam includes the brown 1987
200 Dong note which features a tractor and farm workers on the back and
red 1988 500 Dong which depicts ships unloading at a dock on the
back. Both notes are 131mm x 65mm, have Ho Chi Minh on the
front
and have watermarks.
Item
PM-VN-SET2 VIETNAM 200 & 500 DONG
NOTES
1987-88 P100
& P101, UNC.
$3.00
VIETNAMESE CLOTH
RATION COUPON SHEETS
This cloth ration coupons were issued in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and
are dated 1979. In order to purchase cloth or clothing, one
had to present the appropriate number of coupons. Each sheet
was good for 4 meters (about 13 feet) of material and contained 14
individual coupons with values ranging from 5 centimeters (about 2
inches) to 50 centimeters of material. Each sheet is
made out to an individual. The pink ration coupons were
issued to women.. The sheets of
ration coupons are approximately 125mm
x 85mm (5" x 3.5") and have a blank back. The sheets have
been redeemed however still contain all their individual
coupons. It is a rarely seen item that was issued not long
after the fall of South Vietnam to the communists.
Item
PM-CLOTH-PINK VIETNAM WOMEN'S (PINK) CLOTH
RATION COUPON SHEET
$4.00
VIETNAM 2003 COIN
SET 
In
2003 Vietnam released their first coins in over a quarter of a
century. An entire generation grew had grown up without ever
using coins!
The government finally bowed to the requests of merchants and citizens
who wanted the convenience of coins for use in vending machines. There
were reports that many children who had never seen a coin before, tried
to eat them thinking they were candy. Vietnam has not issued any coins
for circulation since then. The brass 5000 Dong coin pictures
the Chua Mot Cot temple in Hanoi. The brass 2000 Dong shows a
traditional high-roofed house. The brass 1000 Dong shows a
temple in
the ancient capital of Hue. The copper-nickel 500 and 200 Dong coins
portray the denomination in large numerals. All five coins
are
dated
2003 and show the arms Vietnam on the obverse. The coins were
minted a
single year and circulated only briefly. Since then no further coins
have beeen released for circulation. Because of
inflation
they are
no longer used. The government has recalled them for melting,
making them difficult to obtain.
Item
VN-SET5 VIETNAM 5 COIN SET 200 - 5000 DONG,
2003 KM71-75, UNC. $9.75
BEAUTIFUL OLD BANKNOTE
OF THE KINGDOM
OF LAOS
This beautiful and colorful Laotian 100 Kip note printed by the Bank of
France was introduced in 1957. The front features King
Sisavang Vong, a chalice and Naga Dragons. The back includes
a woman in traditional costume with a bowl of roses. Erawan,
the three headed elephant appears in the coat of arms in the watermark.
The large size note measures 170x107mm. The note is
Uncirculated but has staple holes as that is how they were often
distributed the National
Bank. Also
available is the small Kingdom of Laos 1 Kip note
released by the National Bank in 1962. The brown
note features a stylized mythological figure on the front and Erawan,
the three headed elephant on the back. The note
measures 100x60mm
Item
PM-LA-100K KINGDOM OF LAOS 100 KIP BANKNOTE
(1957) P6
AU-UNC.-staple hole
$15.00
Item
PM-LA-1KIP KINGDOM OF LAOS 1 KIP BANKNOTE P8
(1962)
UNC. $2.00
COINS OF
LAOS
Laos is a landlocked nation bordering Vietnam. It rarely
issues coins for circulation. In 1980 Laos
issued its first coins for circulation in 28 years. These
consisted
of the 10, 20 and 50 Att, struck in aluminum and issued by the
Lao People's Democratic Republic. The designs of the coins
feature the denomination in large numbers, with a small picture below.
A woman holding grain is on the 10 Att, a farmer plowing is on the 20
Att and a fish is on the 50 Att. The reverse features the
national arms, which include a hammer and sickle.
Item
S-LA-SET80 LAO PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC REP. 1980 3
COIN SET, 10 - 50 ATT KM22-24 UNC.
$4.50
PATHET
LAO
LIBERATION BANKNOTE
In April 1968, the communist Pathet Lao forces introduced these notes
in the areas of the Laos that they controlled. Following
their victory in 1975 the notes were used throughout Laos.
This red 10 Kip issued by the Patht Lao depicts nurses with patients
and soldiers planting
bamboo booby-traps. Maybe the nurses are treating the unintended
victems of the booby-traps.
Item
PM-LA-10K PATHET LAO 10 KIP NOTE P20
UNC.
$3.00
SMART AND LUCKY OLD
CAMBODIAN COIN
The
Chinese character “Chi” meaning “Luck” is depicted above a Hamza bird
on the Cambodian 2 Pe (1/2 Fuang) minted about 1847. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge, so the coin is both smart and
lucky. They were good skills for Cambodia to have at that
time as
both Vietnam and Thailand were trying to gain control the country
through members of its royal family. The undated, uniface
copper
coin is about 12mm in diameter.
Item
KH-2PE CAMBODIA COPPER 2 PE (circa 1847) KM11
Fine
$5.00
OLD CAMBODIAN
SILVER COIN
This
silver Fuang (1/8 Tical) was issued by the Kingdom of Cambodia about
1847. The mythical Hamsa bird is pictured on this unusual,
undated, uniface coin. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge.. The hand-struck coin is
approximately 13mm in diameter and is probably the least
expensive South-East Asian silver coin of that era.
Item
KH-FUANG
CAMBODIA SILVER FUANG (circa 1847) KM32.2 Fine
$7.50
TRADITIONAL THEMES
ON CAMBODIAN COINS
In 1994, with the restoration of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the return
of peace after decades of war, Cambodia issued its first coins for
circulation in 15 years. The four coin set consists of the
steel 50, 100 and 200 Riels coins and the bi-metallic 500 Riels. The
designs were largely taken from previous coin issues and feature
traditional Cambodian themes. The 500 Riels features the Royal
coat-of-arms that was used on the
50
Sen of 1959. The 200 Riels has the Consititution
and urn design that was used on the
1959
20 Sen coin. The 100 Riels depicts a temple at
Angkor Wat that was used on the unreleased
1970
1 Riel coin.
The 50 Riels pictures Independence Monument in Phnom Penh. It
was built in 1958 to celebrate Cambodia's independence from France.
Cambodian legends are on the reverse of each coin.
Item
S-KH-SET94 CAMBODIA 1994 4 COIN SET KM92-95
UNC. $6.00
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Tonkin
was a French protectorate, that later
became part of North Vietnam. Tonkin issued only a single
coin, a zinc 1/600 Piastre, (1/6 cent) dated 1905.
The coin, commonly called a Sapeque, was intended to replace the widely
used Annamese cash coins in circulation. It was struck in the
style of a cash coin: round with a square hole. One side of
the coin had Chinese legends, the other had French legends.
The coin proved to be unpopular with the Vietnamese and most never
entered circulation. The coin is Uncirculated, however it will have
some spots as is typical of zinc coins.
In 1968 South Vietnam issued this
unusual 12-sided coin as part of the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization's (FAO) coin program. One side
depicts a female farmer with a sheaf of rice in a rice paddy.
The legend "CHIEN-DICH THE-GIOI CHONG NAN DOI" translates as "World
campaign against hunger". The other side features the
denomination. It was the highest denomination
released into circulatoin by South Vietnam before it fell to the
communists in
1975. The nickel-clad steel coin was struck at the Hamburg
mint and has a mintage of 500,000 pieces. It is an attractive
coin from a fallen nation.
North and South Vietnam were
formally unified on July 2, 1976 to form the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam. This aluminum 1976 1 Hao coin was one of the first
coins issued by the unified government. One side features the emblem of
Socialist Vietnam, the other has the denomination and date.
The coin was struck only a single year.
The
Chinese character “Chi” meaning “Luck” is depicted above a Hamza bird
on the Cambodian 2 Pe (1/2 Fuang) minted about 1847. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge, so the coin is both smart and
lucky. They were good skills for Cambodia to have at that
time as
both Vietnam and Thailand were trying to gain control the country
through members of its royal family. The undated, uniface
copper
coin is about 12mm in diameter.
This
silver Fuang (1/8 Tical) was issued by the Kingdom of Cambodia about
1847. The mythical Hamsa bird is pictured on this unusual,
undated, uniface coin. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge.. The hand-struck coin is
approximately 13mm in diameter and is probably the least
expensive South-East Asian silver coin of that era.
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